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Man charged with counselling woman to commit suicide

Late last week, a woman in her 40s showed up at the Abbotsford Police Department with ligature marks around her neck and a disturbing story to report.

Now, police have charged 53-year-old Kenneth William Carr of Abbotsford with counselling to commit suicide in relation to the incident.

Carr's criminal background includes a 1998 charge in Port Coquitlam for interfering with a dead body. The case was slated to go to trial, but charges were stayed in B.C. Supreme Court in New Westminster, according to an employee with the court registry.

Const. Ian MacDonald said he could not discuss specifics of the recent case; only that the pair had met recently and had formed a "loose type of friendship."

MacDonald said a family member of the victim's noticed the marks around her neck and, after finding out how they had occurred, went with her to the police department to file a report.

MacDonald said the woman, who suffers from depression, was interviewed and a search warrant was then executed at Carr's home. He could not divulge what was found during the search.

Carr was arrested last Thursday, and charges were sworn in Abbotsford provincial court on Friday. He remains in custody, and his next court appearance is Wednesday for a bail hearing.

MacDonald said police are concerned that there may be other incidents in which Carr engaged in this type of criminal behavior.

"Abbotsford Police investigators cannot preclude the possibility that there are others who were counselled but did not report the incident to police," he said.

MacDonald said the motive for the crime is not known and will be uncovered during legal proceedings.

"From the sidelines, it's hard to believe that there would be a benefit (to the perpetrator)," he said.

Anyone who has experienced similar circumstances involving Carr or was witness to such an instance is asked to contact the Abbotsford Police Department at 604-859-5225.

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